Vandal responsible for tagging home vows to clean it up

Graffiti artist says he will repay for damages

Copyright 2013 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

DETROIT (WXYZ) - One of the men captured on surveillance tagging and damaging a Detroit home has come forward to take responsibility for his actions. The tagging happened at a building on Trumbull Street.

Last week, 7 Action News reported the men on those surveillance videos matched the description of the men who tagged Cafe D'Mongo's and assaulted its owner. But Larry Mongo has since told 7 Action News they were not the men responsible for the assault.

On Trumbull Street, Wednesday marked the first time homeowner and vandal met face to face. It's rare to see and hear from the artists behind work like this, but homeowner Vanessa Rudolph is now hearing from an artist with an apology.

"I fully take responsibility for damaging the property," said the young man who wished to remain anonymous, "And I just want to make it better for you."

Trading in his spray can for an olive branch, the young man responsible for tagging the home on Trumbull says he's ready to clean up his act. He's asked us to hide his identity, citing threats to his life since 7 Action News aired surveillance of his graffiti work.

"I heard that you were doing work inside." said the man to Rudolph, "I do construction, I will donate my time for free. Anything I can do to help."

Rudolph was in the middle of converting the building into rental space. Anticipating vandalism, Rudolph installed cameras, and caught the group of young men defacing her property.

"What were you all really thinking when you see there are cameras up here?" Rudolph asked the man, "That they didn't work?"

The young man says it was merely a foolish act after a night of partying with friends. It's why he hopes to repay the building's rightful owner with hours of elbow grease.

"I don't know if you could accept my apology, but I promise to God, I'll help you do whatever you need to do to this house, inside or outside." said the man.

"I am irritated about it all," said Rudolph, "But I could take what I could get."

7 Action News has learned the three other men responsible for tagging the home skipped town. But the man meeting the homeowner says he will be back Thursday at noon to start cleaning up.

Rudolph has filed a police report immediately following the vandalism, but she says if the man repairs the damage, cleans up the graffiti, and repays her for the broken surveillance cameras, she will not press charges.

Copyright 2013 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.